Merz takes over as center-right opposition leader in Germany

BERLIN (AP) — Friedrich Merz has formally took over as the leader of Germany’s main opposition party, the center-right Christian Democratic Union of ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel, after being elected by a postal ballot. The 66-year-old conservative, a one-time rival and longtime critic of Merkel, emerged victorious from a ballot of the party’s membership in December. He was endorsed by a party convention just over a week ago — a result that, for legal reasons, needed formal confirmation in a postal ballot. The party announced the results of that ballot on Monday. Merz became party leader at his third attempt after his predecessor Armin Laschet led the Union bloc, which the CDU dominates, to its worst-ever national election result in September.